Important Announcements

Nondiscrimination Policy Update

Boston Medical Center Health System complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency and primary language), religion, culture, physical or mental disabilities, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity and/or expression. BMCHS provides free aids and services to people with disabilities and free language services to people whose primary language is not English.

To read our full Nondiscrimination Statement, click here.

Deaf

Deaf

Adjective

Used to describe a person with total or profound hearing loss. Many only have mild or partial loss of hearing. Use person with hearing loss, partially deaf. 

Note: Deaf (capitalized) is a social, cultural, and personal identity that is deeply rooted in the Deaf community, while deaf (not capitalized) refers those who have little or no functional hearing. Hard of hearing or HOH is a person whose hearing loss ranges from mild to profound and whose usual means of communication is speech. It is both a medical and a sociological term. Hard of hearing (HOH) and deaf are terms that are used that are not interchangeable. As always, defer to how an individual self-identifies.

Do not use deaf-dumb, deaf-mute. Also do not use hearing impaired, which is a medical diagnosis and using the term implies knowledge of the cause of a person's deafness.

Source

Adapted from UMass Medical and UMassMemorial Health Care’s Diversity + Inclusion, Diversity Toolkit and Connect Hear

The Glossary for Culture Transformation is a living document to be revised on an annual basis.

Suggested Citation: Office of Equity, Vitality, and Inclusion, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, and Boston University Medical Group. Glossary for Culture Transformation. 2021.

For questions or suggestions, please email wordsmatter@bu.edu